VI -
What to do in case of a high blood pressure
6.1
- First of all, to eliminate a false high blood pressure
6.2
- To eliminate an obvious cause responsible for a high blood pressure
6.3 - To start
a treatment without drug: life style modifications
6.4
- According to the circumstances, to treat by using drugs
6.5
- Anti-hypertensive therapy
6.6
- Why does the doctor prescribe a given anti-hypertensive drug and not
another? The choice of the first treatment.
6.3- To
start with a treatment without drug: life style modifications
The reduction of the consumption of alcohol, of sodium (salt), and of excess
weight involves a decrease of the arterial pressure. These facts are very important
to take into account before using an antihypertensive drug therapy or to decrease
the prescribed dose when this one is necessary to treat high blood pressure.
Thus, it is recommended to
reduce the sodium intake to approximately 5 grams per day (the average
of the salt intakes is of 8 to 10 grams per day in France), to decrease
alcoholic drinks to less than three glasses of wine (or the equivalent
in alcohol) per day to further physical activity and to go on a diet.
In addition, the physician
will have to control and possibly treat the other cardiovascular risk
factors such as diabetes, cholesterol, tobacco and the overweight.
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last modified on : 28 sep 2003 |
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